Colorado State University has received the Business/Innovator of the Year Award from Visit Fort Collins.
The award, announced May 4 at Elevate, the 7th Annual Tourism Week Luncheon, is given to an individual, business or organization that has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion or advancement of Fort Collins tourism. That contribution may be to Visit Fort Collins, to the industry as a whole, or for innovation and creative approaches that benefit the industry and/or the destination.
“Colorado State University has embraced the idea that tourism and hospitality require a community effort,” said Cynthia Eichler, president and CEO of Visit Fort Collins. “They recognize that everyone is an ambassador and can make a difference. CSU has consciously chosen to collaborate with projects and offer professional support. This demonstrated community leadership has resulted in greater success for our organization, positively influencing the economic impact of the city and experiences for visitors.”
“We are very fortunate at Colorado State to be part of the Fort Collins community, and we take our role in the community very seriously,” CSU Vice President for External Relations Tom Milligan said. “This award is recognition that together, Fort Collins and CSU have formed a great relationship that makes everyone better. It makes our hometown one of the best places anywhere to live, work and visit.”
CSU contributions
Contributions cited in the award nomination include a CSU-produced destination video for Fort Collins; CSU integration with the Community Resource and Visitors Guide; helping ensure the return of the Cru conference, which has an economic impact of more than $10 million for the community; and new collaborations between the city and CSU units like the Office of Admissions, RamTrax, the Department of Athletics, the Warner College of Natural Resources, the Hospitality Management program and the Alumni Association.
The nomination opens with a quote from Helen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”
“This quote expresses the true essence of collaboration and partnership with Colorado State University and Visit Fort Collins,” the nomination reads. “Dedicated professionals came together deliberately to build upon a solid foundation to take relationships and ultimately successful results to a higher level. Whole departments and individuals increased their commitment, time and talent.”
Past winners of the award include Branch Out Cider, Fort Collins Music Experiment, Fort Collins Brewery and Gravity Ten Twenty, and Mountain Whitewater Descents.
Also this week, CSU’s Division of External Relations was named Colorado PR Team of the Year by the state chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
